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Hi ya'll... I had the band in Feb 2010 and was sleeved on August 9, 2012 The surgery was supposed to be 1 hour but ended up being 3 hours due to scar tissue wrapped around my esophagus and a kink in my esophagus... I am so thankful for my surgeon Dr. Jawad who truly is an expert in the field and was very patient and able to finish the procedure. Dr. Jawad's associate came in and described in detail what had happened during the surgery... He commented about the medical jive being "make sure you know who is doing your revision"... then he looked me square in the face and said, "be thankful Dr. Jawad was doing your revision". I think he must have been a miracle worker!!!..... I also had the Fluid removed from my band about 4 months prior to surgery and gained about 20 lbs... I do feel your pain. But, I am now 16 days post op and doing great. I am on a full liquid diet until day 28!!! A lot of folks start the soft/mushie food a lot sooner...but, I'll stick to the full liquid for the added healing measure. I am also 14 pounds post op today,.,, God Bless... :wub:

I wouldn't be worrying about a revision yet. You just got your first fill a few weeks ago. You haven't even learned to chew yet, or how to eat. It's a learning curve, give it time before you call it a scam.

Hi all I know we're all at different stages and we're all going to consume various foods but I am curious about calories! As a band to sleeve revision patient and now 6ish weeks out, I am getting those horrible 'OMG am I going to succeed? Is my sleeve tight and small enough? Am I eating way more than everyone else?' thoughts...... I've started tracking calories and I generally have around 800-1000 calories but I feel like it's quite easy to get up to 1000. At weeks 2-4 I struggled A LOT with foods and just didn't really have the drive to watch my food intake and protein. Now, I feel like my hunger is coming back and that freaks me out. No heartburn or anything, and I've had my 40 grams of Somac on a daily basis, but I KNOW I feel hunger. I just get in a bit of a negative headspace and worry that the sleeve won't be 'viable' for me. I am very determined, yet am at a stall. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to know what you guys typically eat in a day too! THANKS

Here is me just shy of my heaviest of 365 lbs. I started my Weight loss journey June 2020. I lost about 35 pre surgery which was January 4, 2021. I also have had to have a revision due to a perforated ulcer mid July. I am now down a total of 120 lbs. it’s amazing the difference I feel. My 5 year old can actually sit in my lap… because I have one now! I can see my feet when I weigh myself. I don’t have to lean against a wall to wipe after using the bathroom, or to clean myself in the shower. I can buckle my seatbelt with out getting out of breath. I now consider myself ‘normal’ fat because I actually blend in with a crowd rather than standing out as the largest in a room! I’m sure I could go on but I am so glad I did this!

Well I just got a call from the office. My insurance now wants me to complete 3 more months of diet management sessions. Argh! So disheartened. They stated that because I want one surgery (lap band removal revised to bypass) that I need more documentation. However, if I wanted 2 surgeries that would be approved. How does that make any sense? Dr korn has approved me for the two-in-one surgery. I was hoping to get this done this year since I've already met my deductible. But mainly, I just want to feel better. I have an allergic reaction after surgeries now (since pregnancy) and really just want one surgery. Sigh. I guess I just need to keep truckin since this is all out of my hands. Just really frustrating news.

thank you, i have a phone appointment today, to get authorization to schedule appointment with biatric surgeon. I hope my surgeon approves me for revision.

I did fine converting from the band to the sleeve for 12 years. I've lost over 100 lbs and I've kept it off. However, now I'm going to have my sleeve converted to an RNY. I don't know why you are converting, but the reason I am is to sustain life due to reflux. My sleeve has formed a little pocket and I have spontaneous reflux. My surgeon at Mayo said I should have never converted to the sleeve because I had reflux with it also. He said that if you have reflux with the band the studies shows you will more than likely have reflux with the sleeve. My sleeve worked well for 12 years and I'm actually a little underweight right now because I'm not holding food down too well. BTW, I had very little pain with the conversion. I had the procedure on a Thursday and was back at work on Monday morning. It was a desk job and I will admit I was tired, but I never had a great deal of pain. Just make sure you walk a lot to get the gas out of your tummy. I think that's what causes a lot of people pain. Also, follow your doctor's diet plan. The first few weeks are rough, but you will get through it and on top of that you will lose weight. When I convert to the RNY I have to do the same diet as you will follow for the first few weeks. IMO, that was the hardest part about the sleeve surgery. I ate a lot of won ton soup without the won tons. Good luck on your revision!

If your gonna do it go with gastric bypass. You lose more weight & have more restrictions on your body. Plus you don't have to revise it like many other ppl.

My blinds are open when I wake up but it is 400 in the morning so there is nothing to see. The sunshine won't be around for three hours. Luckily the windows of my job site open on the east and we see the sunrise every morning. 1. My personal goal is to get down to 150 and stay there. 2. I am having RNY to SADI revision. I am pre op. My operation is on Wednesday the 5th. 3. my weight is 246 Lbs. 4. My favorite winter activity is piling on the blankets or standing in front of the heater with a kitty cat by my side.

I just had my revision from sleeve to bypass. I only had to take the pre op but class. Then surgery 3 weeks later. It all depends on your Dr. and my revision was for the same reasons. Good luck.

You'll love the sleeve compared to the band bc I do! The band was so uncomfortable IMO. Plus no trips & co-pays for fills ???? Height 5'3 SW w/band - 214 Ending weight before 2 band slips- 150 Ballooned up to 193 after my last slip Sleeve SW- 193 Surgery weight at revision 186 (pre op diet) Surgery 6-13-13 CW- 140 ☺️️ Rock that sleeve!!!!!! Mind over matter and I'm at my goal already.

You are a revision from band to sleeve? Your weight loss is very impressive!! Good for you!

I asked my Dr. and his very good nurse about the same thing and I was told yes stress can cause the band to tighten up. I asked my friend a nurse this same question she said that when we become stressed and I mean very stressed our internal organs can swell up. I get stressed and boom the band tightens up like a vice..I was told if this happens to go back on the clear liquids for a few days until things settle down. I ahve had so many fills and then un fills as I call them it is not even funny anymore due to this. The last one was about two weeks ago. I seen a new Dr. in May and he did not fill me, he just checked me out. I started to cough at night and get reflux my last fill was in mid March so I know what I was experiencing was not from the last fill. The new Dr. said that I am a crammer a packer that I eat and gulp my food, well I ahve never done that not in my entire life. I eat slowly and chew very well more so since I ahve been banded. He also told me I had a mega esophagus well without the upper GI unless he had x ray vision there is not way to diagnose that and well my esophagus had been dialiated a few times in the past but it was diagnosed after the swallow test was done. He started talking about how the esophagus could rupture and I could die and how I needed to have surgery and a revision well I don't think so. He took out 1 cc and well I have been fine ever since and am I going back to him?? oh heck no I am going back to my original Dr. that did the band and I should have never left his practice and di the other Dr. ever order up the GI test? no he did not I have not heard back from him or his office. So don't let anyone tell you that your doing stuff that your not doing at all.

Initially, you'll have to eat small bites, and chew to mush, but not because of the pouch/stoma combination like what you have with the band. It's simply because of the swelling and trauma your stomach endures after being sleeved. But, it doesn't last forever. I eat normal sized bites and chew like a normal person and have since being about 7-8 months out. I never did the pencil eraser sized bite thing, but I did chew to mush. Digestion begins in the mouth, it prepares the stomach to accept food so it's important to chew well. As for pain post-op, it was minimal, except for the incision where they removed my port. I had a flipped port that had migrated so my port area was full of scar tissue and adhesions. I still have sensitivity in that area even at nearly 29 months post-revision. The gas pains are the same, the sipping post-op is the most often reported side-effect of sleeve surgery regardless if a patient is a revision patient or a virgin sleeve. Food can get stuck if you eat too fast, or don't chew well enough. I've never had a true stuck episode like I did with the band. Personally, I think the band helps us beat the eating curve with the sleeve. The key to sleeve eating is 1) measure your portions by volume 2) chew well 3) do not eat and drink simultaneously 4) and stop looking for this elusive full feeling, undereating your sleeve will give you 2 things a) keep you from overeating keep you within your dietary guideline for calorie/protein/carb intake I do not eat until full or stuffed because it leads to that "one last bite" syndrome and inevitably that one last bite is going to come up. I puked enough with the band so I have zero desire to do it with the sleeve. I did it a couple of times early out. I didn't get a full signal for months, and even then it was and still is a single hiccup. I don't rely on a full signal to tell me to stop eating. Finding satiety is the key for me to stay successful. As time progresses, the sleeve matures to maximum capacity, and your capacity will change so learning to measure food, not eat until full or stuffed has served me very well in maintenance by keeping me from overeating even though I can eat double the amounts I could today from what I could eat at 2-3 months out. There are no foods that I can not eat. Scrambled eggs still sit extremely heavy in my stomach, but poached, deviled, egg salad, hard-boiled eggs all work fine. Pork chops for whatever reason are heavy as well. We quit eating pork products 2 years ago after my husband's last deployment so I don't miss them at all. Best wishes with your revision. Getting rid of the band was the best thing I ever did for myself and my life. I've had an amazing 2 years post-op, and look forward to my future.

I paid out of pocket for my lapband back in 05... I'm now looking to pay out of pocket for revision because my school district has a total exclusion on WLS So, I'm going to finance it again....still very angry with my district

Hi! The reason why I am having my lapband removed is because it does not work for me....you are so not alone....I was banded in 2005 and have lost a grand total of....10pounds!! and I have over 100 pounds to lose! I understand your inital feeling of being a failure, I still do not tell anyone that I have a lapband. Everyone knows I am having gastric sleeve surgery...but only a few people know I have a lapband and I am actually having revision surgery....

I'm not sure if you'd ever consider this, but since you didn't mention whether or not you would - I had Dr. Aceves in Mexicali in Mexico. He charged $11,250 for my band to sleeve revision and it was quite literally the best 11K I've EVER spent on myself. My life has changed so much for the better, and I thank GOD daily for him and my sleevie.

I self paid for my band and so I was devastated when it slipped and broke apart. I had a revision and I am so glad I did. I understand your concerns about money. I felt guilty spending all this money on surgeries that could have gone to other things (like a bigger house that we really need). I decided that my health was important. We spend money on cars, vacations, and all sorts of other things. Don't feel guilty. You are worth it! HUGS.

I just had mine out this morning. It was a cakewalk compared to having it put in. Minimal soreness, not even enough to need pain meds. I will then revise in about four months. Good Luck!

I had my revision yesterday! They removed the old port and replaced it with a new one. I am in more pain now than I was with the first initial surgery. I hope this thing doesn't flip again. If it does, I'm done with this lapband experience.

well my dr called and I'm having the revision on the 31st, thanks for writing back Kelly I'm feeling less apprehension unfortunately I never got any fill because we discovered this first time out. I never felt anything or have any pain at all and it's been flipped since May. Hope the new medicine your dr gave you works if it does tell me what it was so I can get it too.... take care Tara

OH crap! I am going to have to revise my opinion. I am not in love with the reputation of 1-800-get-thin. They have issues.

I am in exactly the same boat except that I throw up a few times a day. I have had my band checked for slippage and tightness and it's in the right place and there's lots of room for the food to go down. I either have zero restriction or I'm puking my guts out. I never know what it's going to be on any given day. The idea of the nerve at the top of my stomach being hyper sensitive has been floated, but there has been no real answer to what the problem is. My doctor is stumped. Finally I had to take out a large chunk of fill just so I could eat somewhat normally, so I am now permanently at zero restriction. I'm trying to get rid of my band now and get a revision to something else. What I really want is an answer to what's going on and I won't be getting a revision before somebody can tell me why I'm having so much trouble with the band because a revision is a whole lot more permanent. I too have not lost any weight other than my pre-op diet weight. I can't even go back to my pre-op diet for a spell because I can't keep those foods down. shakes are a no-go with me as they sit like lead in my stomach and make me sick as a dog.

It really depends on your insurance. You can call and they'll be able to tell you what you need to do, as would a surgeon's office. I have United Healthcare for the Railroad, and I wouldn't have had to do ANYTHING other than call and make an appt for the surgeon, and they would have done a few typical preop screens to get it removed. (I'm getting a revision to a sleeve though, so I have to do everything all over again.) GOOD LUCK!

I went to the surgeon who originally placed my lap band today to talk about the surgery I need to have to remove it due to erosion and subsequent revision surgery. I had my head completely reconciled with having vertical sleeve revision and then he threw in a new option. For the past year, he has been doing banded plication surgery. In my particular situation, due to the erosion, we would do the surgery to remove my band first, give my stomach time to heal, and then I would have a second surgery to revise to the banded plication. For those of you who are not familiar with this procedure, it involves folding the stomach in on itself and stitching it to achieve a sleeve like effect. This is a similar procedure to the old stomach stapling procedure but much more effective due to technique and the usage of sutures as opposed to staples. Then, he will place another band at the top of the sleeve thereby essential having two weight loss surgeries at one time. My understanding is that the plication is better for achieving immediate weight loss, the band is better for long term weight loss. Combining them is essentially the best of both worlds with a few added benefits. First, because you have restriction from the plication, you don't have to fill the band as fast or as much in order to achieve satisfactory restriction. Second, because of the more slender shape of the stomach, incidences of slippage are greatly reduced. Third, there is no need to dissect 90% of your stomach. Fourth, if you do have a problem with the band, it can be removed and you will still have restriction from the plication. As always, there can be complications. Sutures can come undone. There can be necrosis of the upper part of the stomach right below the band. My understanding is that so far, the complication rate is extremely minimal and weight loss results have been comparable to the sleeve. I have to admit that the thought of not having to cut my stomach is appealing to me. At the same time, the thought of putting in another band after my first one eroded is a little unnerving. My surgeon is not pressuring me to do either one. He wants me to do what I'm comfortable with but he is very excited about the results he has seen with this surgery. I am 52 and this is more than likely my last chance at getting to be where I want to be. This is still considered to be investigational and is not covered by insurance but I believe the majority of the costs will be covered by research study funds. I have complete confidence in my surgeon. He secondary specialties are liver transplants and pediatric surgery and he is always at the cutting edge (pardon the pun) of the latest and greatest bariatric surgeries. I just want to do the right thing for me. My instinct is to let him get in there and take out my band, take a look around and see what kind of damage my band did to my insides. Then, make a more educated decision about which surgery would be right for me. As an aside, he completely refuses to do gastric bypass. What would you do??